Michelle L. Levigne's Blog, page 78

New Release Sample: SEMI-PSEUDO-SUPERHEROES

"Anyway," she continued, "it's been quiet, all around. Maybe we've all been concentrating so much on the problem with those professors…" She frowned, eyes going distant.

"What did you just think of?"

"Just gossip." She shrugged and took a sip from the tall paper cup, her eyes hooded, her gaze pensive. "Despite every effort to keep that whole mess covered up, it's impossible to keep secrets on a college campus. Other departments know. Especially when the head of the psychology department looks daggers at his underlings who forged his signature and claimed they got approval and permission from him, even though he and the other leaders of the department never met to discuss the experiment."

"So you've overheard other professors talking about the mess when they come here, or come to the diner?"

"Diner. They don't talk about school politics here on campus. You have to admire them for that. It's best to put on a united front for the students." She took another sip. "What comes to mind now, and I have to wonder why it didn't register at the time, is that the two ringleaders in the whole mess, Tudderman and Winghast, have been seen making regular visits to a house in Darbyville. The street straddles the border with Neighborlee. It's near a main street, so the professors who live in Darbyville and take that route see them on a regular basis, coming or going, and never together. Someone finally remarked on it, and someone else said they had seen it, and I guess they started asking questions and…"

She shrugged, her lower lip sticking out as she visibly thought it over. "What made it memorable is that the house has had a for sale sign in the front yard for more than a year. The grass is high and some of the windows are boarded up. If either of them were planning on buying the house, maybe they don't know the other is looking at it."

"Maybe they're waiting for the price to go down more?" I shivered as I said it. It sounded stupid, but Stephanie didn't react, still deep in thought.

"Something strange is going on. I know that I've heard people talking about it, multiple times, yet none of those times… I don't know, the incidents didn't stick in my memory until just now." She sat up and looked around the Student Center. "Do you have time for a field trip?"

New Release Sample: SEMI-PSEUDO-SUPERHEROES

When Ford joined us, I let him know Kurt was going to try to catch up with him on his rounds at the college. I wasn't surprised they hadn't made contact yet. For all his love of gizmos, Kurt didn't like using his cell phone. Maybe he didn't trust what passed for security on anyone's phone. With something building up on WBC's campus, he was especially touchy about the wrong people (or things, or forces, or entities) accessing or interfering with messages. Since I had time, with no classes until just before lunch, I agreed to get the girls into the program, so Ford could look for Kurt.

Stephanie thanked me with a hug when I returned to the snack bar. The team of students who were supposed to close up the night before had left a couple messages about problems with inventory and changing the oil reservoir on the fryer, and she needed to get those problems taken care of before the first hungry customers of the day showed up. Heaven forbid she be unable to deliver baskets of fried cheese sticks and batter-fried veggies within seconds of being ordered. Miller's Diner had a reputation to uphold, after all. I told her about our fly-over of the dormitory and what Kurt had detected, what we had theorized, but it took me about five installments between customers. She was alone for the first hour the snack bar was open, but once the first shift of work-study students showed up, the traffic trickled down to almost nothing, and she could step out from behind the counter. We went over to a quiet corner of the snack area, partially hidden behind some particularly pitiful silk fig trees, to talk.

"Whatever you three picked up on, I'm not getting any warnings," she said, after we had settled down with berry smoothies. "No dreams, no vibrations, no sickening smells, or even smells that don't belong wherever I am." She muffled a chuckle, and I guessed that my expression showed just how confused I was by that last bit of information. "When I was pregnant with Bethany, every sense seemed to cross over into a smell. Noises that were too loud generated a smell like the dumpster behind Punderson's grocery last summer, when it was so hot and they dumped that entire order of dairy that had gone bad before it even arrived." Another chuckle bubbled out of her when I reacted.

That was one of the most noxious smells I had ever endured. It put texture in the air. Since Punderson's was near the offices for the Neighborlee Tattler, those of us who worked there had to put up with the stench that clung to it even after they had the dumpster steam blasted clean and sanitized. Some of us swore the light changed in that area behind the grocery store. If anything truly evil was going to tear the fabric of reality and invade from another dimension, that would be the weak spot, where reality had been scorched thin.

Off the Bookshelf: WRITING GREAT BOOKS FOR YOUNG ADULTS, by Regina L. Brooks

Subtitle: Everything you need to know, from crafting the idea to getting it published.Very thorough, very useful, very well-organized.
The chapter titles say it all (and lots of examples and even explanations of why you shouldn't do something):Five Rules for Engaging Readers of Young Adult FictionMeeting Your CharactersBuilding Your PlotSetting the TimelineLearning to Write DialogueGetting Constructive Feedback
And the appendices:Feedback ResourcesPublishing Processes at a GlanceYA Publishers
And more than what I've listed.
If you want to learn about it or NEED to learn about it, here's a great foundation for either starting out writing, period, or switching your focus from another genre/market/audience.

New Release Sample: SEMI-PSEUDO-SUPERHEROES

Stephanie Miller had Bethany with her when she came to open up the snack bar in the Student Center the next morning. She asked me if I would mind walking Bethany over to the theater building, to wait for Ford Longfellow, who was bringing Athena up for some experimental Kindergarten program run by the drama department. I kind of shuddered, visibly, when she said "experimental."

She laughed and assured me that nobody from the sociology and psychology departments were involved. It was all drama and playing with costumes and props and letting the children's imaginations go wild. I was glad to do it. Any excuse to spend time with Bethany. She chattered nonstop about her friends in the theater and the games they played and how she got to be a "sojer" and run around with a sword and protect the "pinsess" and the "keen." I couldn't figure out if she meant queen or king.

We reached the main entrance of the theater building just about the time the Longfellows showed up. Ford saw us, and instead of taking his truck around to the parking lot on the side, he pulled up to the steps and let Athena jump out to join us while he parked. No contest between the two five-year-olds, they were both my favorites. Getting hugs from those two little girls worked like a good strong inoculation of magic for the rest of the day.

I needed it. We all did. Not that any of us realized it when we started off on our errands that morning.

New Release Sample: SEMI-PSEUDO-SUPERHEROES

"How should I act? Like a spoiled brat arrogant snot who thinks she should run the world, and just makes herself look like a brainless twit?"
"Like you?" Harry added.
Sylvia let out a steam whistle shriek and launched herself at me. How unfair was that? Harry said it. She never would have realized I was talking about her until he said it.
Someone must have been teaching Sylvia boxing. She got in a good right hook between my left temple and eye socket before I realized she was getting physical. Sylvia hadn't tried to inflict capital punishment on those who crossed her since fifth grade.
While I didn't use my telekinetic power to shove her away, pin her to the wall, maybe even shove her through the wall, honesty compels me to admit that Harry saved me. Maybe he had a little ability to fly, or least do the long jump fast, and hard. He body-slammed Sylvia from behind while she was spinning around and coming back in for another strike. I was still catching my breath and seeing stars. Then suddenly the male five percent of the faculty and staff stormed into the room and got hold of Sylvia.*****I couldn't wait to get home and report to the "We loathe Sylvia Grandstone club." It wasn't really an official group, although a number of people in our graduating class confessed they had looked into voodoo dolls and sending requests to the State Department to keep her from coming back into the country.
No, that wasn't very mature of me. It also wasn't very mature that I let Mum and Pop praise me for not using my powers to slam Sylvia into the wall, or through a window, or just hold her up in the air and spin her around like a WWE wrestling champion. I didn't use my telekinesis because I didn't get a chance. Ten-plus years of self-imposed "never use our talents where other people can see" made me hesitate. Even when it came to a chance to work out my frustrations on Sylvia Grandstone and get payback for all my friends at school.
So I really didn't deserve any of the kudos I got. Sympathy for my black eye, yes, I earned that. Praise for not slamming that spoiled brat snot into a greasy makeup smear on the stone wall of the chapel? Nope.

Off the Bookshelf: DUST, by Kara Swanson

Heirs of Neverland, Book 1

I confess -- I got the book because of peer pressure!
And I'm glad I did it.
Lots of people in Realm Makers were talking about this book coming out. Eagerly anticipating it.

I can see why now. Wow ...

Claire, our heroine is a broken girl, searching for the truth of what happened to Connor, her brother who vanished six years before. She has a big problem: dust that constantly spills from her skin. Not just a medical condition, it can kill. Dust has put a wall between her and the rest of the world. It has destroyed her life, ripping away chances to have a family.

Claire doesn't trust the only clue her brother left behind -- a note written in a copy of Peter Pan , telling her he's heading for Neverland with Peter. For Claire, the faerie story has become a horror story.

When she gets a new clue that takes her to London, where she meets a police officer named Jeremy Darling, and the man who was seen with her brother six years ago is named James and has a hook for a hand ... yeah, it gets kind of scary. Dark. And confusing ... because Claire's dust is pixie dust, and it can either heal or it can kill, and she doesn't know who to trust while she races to figure out how to control it before time runs out.

Did you catch the part where this is Book 1? Really? I have to wait a YEAR to find out what happens next? Nooooooooooo!

New Release Sample: SEMI-PSEUDO-SUPERHEROES

What I tried to hide was my grin. Until that first booksigning where people were lined up halfway around the block, it never really registered that my parents with twenty books to their names were indeed popular writers. People paid good money and waited eagerly for first editions in hardback.
"I can't believe I never made the connection." Sylvia tipped her head to one side, letting her hair fall in her face. "I mean, yeah, they're the weird, hippie Zephyrs, but they're famous. They've got about a gazillion books that people buy. You are rich."
Uh huh. So that was her problem. Nobody in town was allowed to be rich other than the Grandstones.
"How did you con them into adopting you? Like, you're gonna be rich when they kick off. Both of them are so old. You have got to tell me how you did it."
Why? So she could con someone into adopting her?
"I didn't do anything. I was only six when they adopted me." I barely managed to hold back "remember?" because of course, the only time Sylvia paid attention to me back in school was when I stood between her and what she wanted. "Right place, right time, right people, I guess." I couldn't really say my parents were warm, loving people who were looking to share their love. Sylvia would not understand at all.
"Some people get all the luck." She straightened up and shook her head, with that calculated, slow kind of movement that I swear she had to practice in the mirror. How else could she get her curls to respond like that and lay just so on her shoulders? "You're rich. Who would have thought it? I mean, you don't act it."

The Adventure: PRESENT HELPS THE PAST, by Carole Brown

Present Helps the Pastby Carole Brown
I never guessed several years ago when my family and I worked for short periods of time in some of the western states, with the American Natives, how it would influence me in the future as I prepared to write a historical western romantic suspense.

One of our special trips out west included heading up into the mountains of Arizona where a friend named Jeb took us gold panning. On the way, we passed a ghost town but finally reached a wooded area with a strong stream where we settled down for a spot of gold panning. There were few, if any, people around, Jeb was knowledgeable about the panning, interesting in his explaining and describing, and it ended up being a memorable experience for us as a family. And though we didn't “strike it rich,” we did find numerous gold flecks that we kept in a small jar for years as a memoir of our fun.
Although in my story the gold hunting that was done by the four families tied together was achieved entirely differently than what we did—by digging in caves or on mountain sides—our experience gave me a bit of knowledge on how to proceed with the setting. In that era of time, gold hunting was the rage among certain people. Striking it rich was a tempation that many men couldn't resist. In Caleb's Destiny, the men did discover a reasonably good vein of gold, and all of them profited from it.

Besides being a member and active participant of many writing groups, Carole Brown enjoys mentoring beginning writers. An author of ten books, she loves to weave suspense and tough topics into her books, along with a touch of romance and whimsy, and is always on the lookout for outstanding titles and catchy ideas. She and her husband reside in SE Ohio but have ministered and counseled nationally and internationally. Together, they enjoy their grandsons, traveling, gardening, good food, the simple life, and did she mention their grandsons?


Personal blog: http://sunnebnkwrtr.blogspot.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaroleBrown.authorFB Fan Page:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/183457429657732/Amazon Author Page:  https://amzn.to/38Ukljnhttps://amzn.to/38UkljnTwitter:  https://twitter.com/browncarole212BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/carole-brownInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/browncarole212/?hl=enPinterest: http://pinterest.com/sunnywrtr/boards/Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5237997-carole-brownLinkedin:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/carole-brown-79b6951a/

The Adventure: CALEB'S DESTINY, by Carole Brown

Today:

Learn about a historical romance,  CALEB'S DESTINY.

Tomorrow:

Meet the author, CAROLE BROWN


Mr. Michael, Destiny Rose McCulloch, and Hunter have a mysterious history. Why were three fathers, all business partners, murdered under suspicious circumstances while on their quest to find gold? 
Hunter, who is Mr. Michael's ranch manager, is determined to find the answers and protect the precocious young lady who he suspects holds a key answer to his questions. 

Mr. Michael wants only to be left alone to attend to his property, but what can he do when Destiny refuses to leave and captures the heart of everyone of his employees? 
Destiny almost forgets her quest when she falls in love with Mr. Michael's ranch and all the people there. And then Mr. Michael is much too alluring to ignore. The preacher man back east where she took her schooling tried to claim her heart, but the longer she stays the less she can remember him. She only came west to find a little boy she knew years ago. A little boy all grown up by now...unless, of course, he's dead.
Purchase Links:Amazon: https://amzn.to/3egdd2q

New Release Sample: SEMI-PSEUDO-SUPERHEROES

"Am I supposed to ask what you were thinking?" I asked, after we stood there for a few minutes in silence.
Sylvia was the one Grandstone who had learned some patience. Where just staring down her cousins, Reggie and Freddie would get them to mouth off and get themselves in trouble, silence didn't get under Sylvia's skin. She could stand there and smirk, or give indications of the mental gymnastics she was going through, and wait for someone else to talk.
The smart tactic was to take control of the pseudo-conversation when Sylvia was involved. Besides, the more time she had to think, the better the chances she would twist the situation around entirely in her favor. For instance, if I made her stand there long enough, by the time an argument arose and she started screaming, she would have convinced herself that I had tricked her into staying behind after the Q&A. Since I had survived ten years of attending school with her, the odds were good that I could predict what she would say and do, and even how she thought. If the mental gyrations in the gray matter of a Grandstone brain could be called "thinking."
"Just how long did you think you could keep that secret?" She adjusted her stance so the other hip was cocked out and she leaned against the other side of the door.
"Uh, it's a secret to me, I guess."
That got one of her trademark squeal-snorts. "Your parents."
"It's no secret that I have parents."
I fully expected her to harangue me with the fact that I was one of the Lost Kids of Neighborlee. Former resident of Neighborlee Children's Home. A reject. A throwaway. Sloppy seconds.
"They're famous!" Sylvia came out of the doorway, jamming her fists into her hips. "Your parents are big-time, famous writers! How long did you think you could hide it? Some people!" Another squeal, with only a touch of snort.
"Uh, I never tried to hide it."